Combined folding ironing-board, clothes-basket, and clothes-rack.



c. w. KETTLER. COMBlNED FOLDING IRONING BOARD, CLOTHES BASKET, ANDCLOTHES RACK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. I916.

Patented June 20, 1916.

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WITNESSES:

c. w. KETTLER. COMBINED FOLDING IRONING BOARD, CLOTHES BASKET, AN DCLOTHES RACK.

A APPLICATION HLED FEB. 5, I916- 1 ,188,181.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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A TTORNEYS UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

CARL WILLIAM kn'rriiiirgor wnnwoon; wnsr VIRGI IA.

' COMBINED FoLnIne IRONING-BOABD, empires-B S ET, AND. CLOTHES-RACK.

Application filed. February 5, 1916.. Seria1No. 76,382.

To all whom z'zfmag concern:

Be it known that I, CARL W. KETTLER, a citizen of the-United States, anda resident of WVarwood, in the county of Ohio and State of WestVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Comandwhich may be converted at will into an ironing board and. a supporttherefor, or into a clothes basket, and which in either form has inconnection therewith a rack for the clothing.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved board;Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow adjacent to the line; Fig.3 is a transverse vertical section showing the board expanded and setup; Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the board folded or collapsed; Fig.5 is a partial top plan view of the board support, and Fig. 6 is anenlarged partial transverse section showing a detail of com struction.

In the present embodiment of the invention, combined supporting framefor the ironing board, a clothes rack, and a clothes basket is provided,consisting of two similar folding end frames of approximately X- shape,each consisting of a long bar or leg 1 and a short bar or leg 2, pivotedtogether as indicated at' to fold into register with each other, or tounfold into X-shape, as shown in Fig. 1.

The pivotal connection 3 is at approximately the center of the short bar2, and the lower ends of the bars 1 and 2-at each end of the device arebeveled as shown at 4, to rest smoothly upon the floor when the deviceis unfolded or in expanded condition.

The upper end of each of the short bars,

slot 6, and a pin 7 is passed through the slot Specificatiozfof LettersPatent.

Patented June 20, 1916.

and through a registering opening in the. I

upper end of the adjacent bar 2, to slidably gonn'ect the link 5 withthe upper end of the The pin7 has its opposite ends headed, as shown inFigs. 1 and. 2, to prevent disengagement. of the pin, and the other endof each link 5 is pivotally connectedto the adv jacent bar 1:. Each ofthe bars 1 is providedwith a longitudinallyextending slot 8 near itsupperend, and each link 5 has an opening adapted to register with theslot of the adjacent bar 1, to receive a pin 9, which pivotally andslidably connects the link 5 with the bar 1. Each pin 9 is headed at itsopposite end, as shown, to prevent, disengagement of'the pin, and-eachof the said links 5 has an enlargementlO at the end adj acent to the pin'9, which spaces the body of the bar away from the haul, and permits theupper end of theba'r 2 to slip in between the bar 1 and the link 5 whenthe parts are folded as shown in; F ig. 5.

Referring to F ig. 2,jit will-be noticed that. the head of the pin '7 onthe inner sideof the bar 2 is countersunk, to be flu'sh with the innerface of the bar to ,permit the bar to fold into register with the bar 1.The

upper endsofthe bar 1 are connected by a rounded baror rod 11, and thisbar or rod' serves-as a rack uponwhich clothingjmay edges-0f the bars 2.The bars 1 are con I nected at corresponding points, by upper and lowercross plates .12, and by cross brace. plates 13, arranged between theplates 12. These plates 1212 and 1313@form' the'sides of the clothesbasket when the device is expanded. i A bottom is provided for thebasket, the said bottombeing of rectangular outline, andv consisting ofouter longitudinally ex tending plates 14', and inne'r'plates 15, thesaid plates 14 and 15 being, parallel, and being connected at the endsof the; bottom and intermediate the ends by cross plates 16. The bottomas a whole is hinged to the lowermost longitudinal plate 12*, by meansof hinges 17,. in suchfmannt-ir that the'bot- V tommay be folded up ontothe side of the basket constituted byithe plates B -13 or down into theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 3 between the lowermost plates 12 and 12and when the device is expanded, the outermost faces of the bars 1a fitagainst the inner faces of the lowermost plates 12 and12 The ironingboard 18 is of the usual shape and the said board is provided at itslarge end with a transverse spacing block 19 secured to the board in anysuitable or desirable manner. Near the small end, the board is providedwith a second spacing block 20 and these blocks are so arranged thatthey will rest upon the upper side edges of the links 5. V

The block 19 at the large-end of the board is hinged to the adjacentlink 5 by means of hinges 21 in such manner that the board may fold downto rest upon the link 5 above the bottom of the basket, or the board maybe swung upwardly on the hinge connection into the position shown inFigs. 1 and 2, where it will not interfere with access to the interiorof the basket.

Carried by the link 5 at the small end of the board are two members 22which are spaced apart just far enough to permit the entrance of thespacing block 20 between them,- each of these locking members or keepers22 being provided with a socket, such as that shown at 22 in Fig. 6. Theadjacent portion of the spacing block 20 is provided with a springlocking device. In the present form of the invention this looking deviceis shown as consisting of a cylindrical casing 23, see Fig. 6, in whicha lockingbolt 24 is slidably disposed, the bolt having a tapered endarranged to enter the socket 22. This bolt has a slidable stem 24* whichextends rearwardly through the end of the cylinder 28 and is providedwith a head 24 to limit its outer movement. A spring 25 bears at one endagainst the cylinder and at the other end against the bolt, thus tendingto force the latter outwardly. Each of the members 22 is provided withbeveled upper'surfaces, so that all that is necessary is to bring theboard into the position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the spring lockingmembers will enter the socket22 thus retaining the board in position. Aslight upward pull will free the board by forcing back the springpressed bolt 24.

The keepers 22 may be of any suitable shape, but are preferably providedwith flanges whichextend over the sides of the member 5 and which aresecured to the latter by means of screws 22, or in any other suitable'manner. t v

The spacing block 19 is spaced far enough from the large end of theboard to permit the said end of the board to engage as shown in Figs. 1and 2, against the lower outer corner of the link 5, to support theboard in the inclined position shown in these figures.

A hook 26 is pivotedto each bar 1 on the outer edge thereof between theplates 12 and each hook is adapted to engage a headed pin 27 on theadjacent link 5 when the device is in collapsed or folded position. 7

The board should be brought into the position indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 1, or as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, in which position theboard is held securely by the keepers 22. 1 Now, by simply taking holdof the plates or rails 12 and 12 and drawing them together, the devicewill fold up into the position shown in Fig. 4:, for it will be observedthat the sides of the members 1a which form the bottom being beveled,the bottom will automatically raise. If the edge of the bottom oppositethat of the hinges should slightly stick, slight upward pressure willfree it, when further drawing together of the rails 12 and 12 willresult in the folding of the device. Furthermore, this folding operationwill, of course, move the pin 7 in the slot 6, from the outer end of theslot toward the inner end, and after the pin has passed the center ofthe slot, then the weight of the board will practically complete thefolding operation. In other words, the board will continue to move so asto bring the legs 1 and 2 into registration and also to fold up thebottom, so that the parts are all brought into the position shown inFig. 4. The upper end of the bar 2 slips in between the link 5 and thebar 1, as shown in Fig. 5, and when the bars 1 and 2 and the links 5 ateach end are in registration, the bottom will be between the sides 12-13and 12 13 as shown in Fig. 4. Now the ironing board 18 may be foldeddown upon the side 12-13, and the-hooks 26 are engaged with the pins 27to hold the parts in col lapsed or folded condition.

When it is desired to use the device as a basket or rack, the ironingboard occupies the position of Figs. 1 and 2, and access to the basketis permitted. When the ironing board is to. be used, it is folded downinto the position of Figs. 3,;4, and 6, and the spring latch bolts 24:hold the board in such position.

I claim 1. A device of the character specified comprising a supportingframe, consisting of a plurality of pairs of crossed pivotally connectedlegs, a link slidably connected with the upper ends of 'each pair oflegs to hold them in extended position when the link is horizontal andto permit the legs to fold into register with each other and the linkwhen the link is moved out of horizontal position, a rigid connectionbetween the corresponding legs above the pivotal connection, and anironing board having at each end a transverse spacing block, one of thesaid blocks being hinged to one link to permit'the board to rest uponthe links or to be swung upwardly away from the links, the other blockbeing spaced to engage the other link and said block having releasableresilient latchinglmechanism for holding the block to the link.

' 2. A device of the character specified, comprising a supporting frameconsisting of a plurality of pairs of crossed pivotally connected legs,a link slidably connected With the upper ends of each pair of legs tohold them in extended position When the link is moved out of horizontalposition, a

rigid connection between the corresponding legs above the pivotalconnection, and an ironing board hinged to one of the links and adaptedto rest upon the other When in operative position.

3. An ironing board comprising a sup porting frame having at one end apair of laterally spaced lugs, an ironing board hinged to the other endand adapted to swing into and out of position between the lugs, saidboard having a spring pressed pin adjacent to one lugand the lug havinga recess for receiving the pin to hold the board in operative position.

CARL WILLIAM KETTLER. 7

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents.

Wanhington, D. 0.

